Moonfall
by Grub Leaf-Eater
Summary: Jaune Arc always told his family that those pieces of moon up in the sky seemed to be rather precarious. Now they've all struck Remnant at nearly exactly the same time. What the hell is an Atlamillia, anyway! Au where Jaune doesn't actually enter Beacon, among other things.
1. Chapter 1:Prelude

Jaune Arc was a simple boy. Sure, his family had tale after tale of great warriors(heroes and villains alike, though many chose to 'forget' the villains) among their men, but Jaune seemed destined to be the first Arc in centuries to buck the trend.

It wasn't that he didn't feel shame in not being a fighter, but rather that he felt no strong urge to take up a blade for any cause. The Huntsmen seemed to have things well in hand as a rule regarding Grimm, the White Fang were more or less under control, and the Arcs were plenty affluent.

'Don't get me wrong,' Thought Jaune. 'I'm not actually LAZY, I just really see no point one way or another.'

Jaune was also one of the few Arc men who wasn't naturally muscular, though many of them nevertheless had special semblances that set them apart enough that they could still do wondrous feats in battle.

Jaune had jack shit.

* * *

Okay, that's not entirely accurate. A few months after his aura was awoken by his father in a last-ditch effort to make something out of him one way or the other, he was suddenly seized by a powerful urge. He walked out of the village, pausing only to retrieve the sword his father had got him(Crocea Mors had gone to Jo, his oldest sister, who he heard was making quite a name for herself in several tournaments and in the mercenary circles) along with the shield. They were passable copies of Crocea Mors and its sheath when they were made, but years of neglect had left them rusty, a shell of what might have been.

The feeling that drove him-Surely it was his Semblance, for he had never felt quite so sure that he * _had_ * to be somewhere, even when his mother, Joanne, was running after him with a broom when he was younger. He felt that he had to reach this place with a intensity that dwarfed all survival instinct.

A Beowolf leapt into his path and he reacted as if he was expecting it, despite his internal panic. His drive caused him to draw the rusty blade and stab it through the roof of the Beowolf's mouth, killing it before it even had a chance to howl. It left behind a patch of brown fur-probably from something it'd gotten into a territory dispute with. Jaune didn't bother grabbing it, continuing to walk until he found a mushroom circle.

Without hesitation, he stepped into the circle and finds himself in what seemed to be a stone temple. Ancient writing, writing he could not read but yet could understand(sort of) covers the temple walls. He pauses to read it.

 **"TO THE GOOD OF HEART AND PURE OF SOUL, I LEAVE THE ATLAMILLIA"**

Read the first line.

…What?

 **"IN TIMES OF PERIL I RETURN TO SAFEGUARD THE WORLD WITH ATLA"**

…What?!

 **"ONLY BEARERS OF THE ATLAMILLIA MAY FREE THE WORLD FROM THE ATLA, AND SHOULD THEY FALL IN THE TRYING, THE WORLD WILL BE FOREVER BEREFT OF HUMANITY."**

What? No! That's horrible! Wait, is that humanity like humans or humans and faunus? I mean, humans only would be a little less bad, he guesses. Sure would make those White Fang maniacs happy.

 **"THE BEARER OF THE YELLOW ATLAMILLIA MAY TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH IN TIME, BUT BEWARE, FOR THINE ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. THE RED AND BLUE ATLAMILLIA ARE EACH ONE WAY, BUT ALLOW PASSENGERS."**

….Time travel? Okay, now that sounds cool. Shame about the 'consequences' thing, though. Time travel stories always get preachy about consequences. It really kinda sucks.

He stepped into the temple to find three pedestals. Only the one in the middle is occupied, so he stepped forward and reads the inscription on the wall.

 **"TAKE ONE, BEARER. KNOW THAT ON YOUR DEATH THE GEM WILL RETURN TO THE SHRINE. THE ONLY WAY IT SHALL NOT IS IF YOU PASS IT ON WHILST ALIVE, SUCH AS IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO CONTINUE YOUR ATLA UNSEALING JOURNEY."**

He seized the gauntlet bearing the massive yellow gem. Surprisingly, it resizes to fit his hand.

And then he blacked out.

* * *

When he woke up, he was in his room with a gauntlet of pure gold and a massive topaz mounted on his right arm.

"So much for not being a warrior." He muttered

"Of course a master of the Atlamillia would be a warrior!" A surprised voice came from his right arm, and Jaune screamed like a little girl.

 _"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!"_

"...Now that's just hurtful." The gauntlet sighed. "My **NAME** is Steve, and I'm the gauntlet housing the Atlamillia."

"Okay, new question-" Jaune is cut off by his father, Azure Arc rushing into the room with a large sword in hand.

The gauntlet stayed silent as Azure and Jaune stared at it.

"...Son? Where did you get that?"

"Tell ya what, Dad, if I can figure that out, I'll let you know."

"...I heard another voice in here."

"Oh, good, so I'm not crazy." Jaune blithely remarks.

"No, you're crazy, you're just not hallucinating." A feminine voice from the door snarks.

"...Oh my god, Lotus." Azure moaned. "Read the room."

"Hey! This is a ripoff! I coulda been stuck with a actual warrior or a total hottie like her, and instead I get this schmuck?!" Steve yelped.

Every eye in the room turned towards the gauntlet.

"...Uuuuuuuuh… I mean…"

* * *

 **CLANG!**

"OW!"

 **CLANG!**

"OW!"

 **CLANG!**

"PLEASE, JUST STOP! I'M SORRY!"

 **CLANG!**

"AAAH! I WON'T CALL ANY OF YOUR FAMILY HOT AGAIN, OKAY?!"

"And?"

"..."

CLANG!

"AAGH! I WON'T INSULT YOUR SON!"

Jo brushes her hands clean and casually lobs the sledgehammer off to the side, where Azure catches the head between thumb and forefinger. "Right. I think you two can settle the rest of this….interesting business...between yourselves. You'll be….forthcoming, right?"

"Y-yes'm!"

"...Please stop hitting my arm with the hammer, I can feel it through…Steve…"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, honey. I didn't break anything, did I?" Jo's semblance was healing, so she had a bit of a lackluster attitude towards injury-which ironically enough, was the exact opposite of how she felt before she got it, which is why she got it in the first place.

"No, I'm probably just a touch bruised." Jaune grumbled before heading up to his room.

"Steve. Explain."

And so the gauntlet started to speak.

* * *

Once,(said Steve) thousands of years ago, there was a fifth kingdom where magic flourished.

"Wait, _MAGIC?"_

"Interrupt me again, Jauney, see what happens!"

"Er…. You get put on the anvil again…?"

Anyway, magic was a boon to the people. Illnesses were obliterated in mere moments. Injuries likewise. Crops plentiful. Grimm obliterated. Of course, there were always those who used it to destructive ends, but any who were not killed outright were more or less restored.

"Were there magical creatures back then?"

Yes, actually. Genies, unicorns….

Anyway, there were two siblings, Ozymandias and Salem, who were true prodigies with sword and spell alike. Unfortunately for all, they rarely saw eye to eye. For instance, Salem believed that the destructive powers were paramount, while Ozymandias believed that creation was mightier. It was this conflict that would destroy the city they both loved.

Ozymandias created four Maidens, women empowered with magic inherently. For you see, Magic required external foci. Their power was to outlast death, heralding forth a new age of magic should the city be destroyed.

Salem created four Relics, mighty Foci that would usher death to any who opposed their wielders.

Ozymandias responded by inventing a way that any person might tap their own life, either to create a barrier or work a single, simple 'spell'. It is not truly magic, as the energies that power it are different and the methodology is different; i cannot easily explain it.

And then Salem, in her pursuit to outdo her brother, read one dark tome too many and got the mad idea to create a spell that would make Grimm obey the caster.

The resultant backlash blew up the moon and leveled nearly the entire kingdom. The only intact building was their heavily shielded magical lab, with two separate magical workshops. The backlash also drove Salem mad with power and Ozymandias mad with grief. He created me and the Yellow Atlamillia to try to undo the damage, but alas, the Atlamillia can only travel to times when they already exist. So he created two more, in case tragedy befell the world, and before he sealed me away, he spoke to me.

"I am creating one last spell, one that I will call 'Ozymandias's Pain'." He said. "A bond on the essence of my soul, anchoring me to this world until I have fixed what we wrought."

And then he lifted his staff into the air, and spoke a incantation. "That nobody may remember that magic was once real, and the depth of that we have lost that day." He said sadly before creating the shrine in which you found me.

And then, last night, you barged in, found me and wore me.

* * *

"...And I should believe you why? Like I'm the only one you've been held by since."

"Okay, so I skipped a bit….but I'm not at liberty to disclose the rest."

"What about this magic?"

"Ah, now that I can prove. Go to the fireplace in the living room."

He hesitates and does so.

"Point my palm at it and intone the following words: Akla Mox Fandou."

"A-Akla Mox Fandou." Jaune manages to repeat, and a gout of flame emerges from the palm of Steve. "HOLY FUCK!"

"Ugh… that chews up my energy like nobody's business."

"That-That wasn't dust. What was that?!"

"Magic, you daft buf-" There's a clanging sound "You deft, buff young lad!" He hastily corrects himself. Jaune stifles a snort. "So, what adventures will we go on, young master?"

"We're going to Vytal next week." He says casually.

"Jaune has a crush on one of the members of one of the teams competing!" Chirps the youngest, Sapph.

"Oh? Well, I assure you, I am quite the ladies' man, if you catch my drift. Er, ladies' gauntlet?"

"...I don't think Weiss would want to have a threesome with sentient handwear." Jaune deadpans.

"Ah. Pity."

Jaune facepalms with his other hand and goes to get started on packing for Vytal.


	2. Chapter 2:Vytal, Part 1

Moonfall:Chapter 2

A/N:No, you didn't miss a chapter. I just don't believe in chapter numbering that has chapter 2 be 'chapter 1'

* * *

Vytal was nothing new to Jaune, but it was something rare enough that he was awed by it almost every time his family went. Still, his perspective had changed slightly. Instead of the most important thing he could do being to meet his crush(and maybe possibly (haha no) date her), suddenly the whole thing was about finding the wizard Ozymandias.

You know, it was funny. He always thought the tale of the Seasons, and the Brothers were pure fiction. Little did he know that they were, in fact, only 90% fiction.

"You know" Steve had said helpfully when they were alone. "Ozymandias has always, in all of the incarnations I've met, highly valued knowledge. You'll probably find him in some related place. He also can't abide peace and quiet."

….Knowledge and chaos, huh? Nowhere immediately springs to mind.

* * *

Meanwhile-er, earlier that year;

"JUSTICE WILL BE SWIFT! JUSTICE WILL BE PAINFUL! IT WILL BE DELICIOUS!"

* * *

"Sorry, I can't think of anything."

"Well, then, young master, we will simply have to explore and see if anyone recognizes me. Ah-do be careful, many a thug has got it in their mind when they see me that so much gold and a jewel the size of the one I bear would make rich men of them."

"...Fine."

But as he looked around, it occurred to him just how massive Vale was, and how crowded it was during Vytal.

He accosted a few random strangers with the question, "Excuse me, I'm looking for a man named Ozymandias?"

Most of them gave him useless shrugs and weird looks, but the last one gave him a knowing look.

"Don't get your hopes up, but check out Junior's place. Tell him the Blonde Brawler sent you."

Well, that was an accurate descriptor.

"Uh...thanks. Thanks, really! Look, I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc. If I can do you a favor-"

"Arc?!" A new voice entered the scene, a familiar one. He turned and then did a double take, jaw dropping. 'Blonde Brawler' was still standing there, and it clicked. "As in Jo Arc?"

"W-Which Jo, my sister or my mother?" He returned.

"Both! Either!" Exclaimed Weiss Schnee. "Oh, you simply must introduce me to them, I have so many questions about their fighting styles!"

"...Mom isn't a…." He paused, shaking his head. "Besides, what do you care? It's not like Jo uses anything special. Mors is just a sword, and the sheathe is just a shield."

"Yes, but, but…. The elegance with which she wields them! She almost beat Pyrrha!"

"...Who?"

"What?!"

"Look, it doesn't matter. I have to go find Ozymandias." Jaune replies bluntly, finding that meeting his crush in person left a sort of sour taste in his mouth.

He turned and walked away.

"Hey." A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Huh?" He turned and found himself looking Yang in the eye. "Why are you looking for this Ozymandias?"

Good question. He paused to think of a answer.

"So the world will make sense again." He said as casually as he could, sensing a flicker of something in Yang's eye. Before he could react, she gave him a quick, if chaste, hug.

"Good luck." She whispered before letting go. Jaune's cheeks burn as he runs off, Yang chuckling softly despite herself.

"What was that about?! And why did you let him run off without introducing me to his family?!"

"None of your business, Weiss-Queen."

"Eeegh, you're insufferable!"

* * *

Jaune walked casually into the bar and looked around before picking a random seat at the bar.

"Hey. You got ID?"

"I'm not here to drink. I'm looking for someone." He looked up at the Ursa-sized barkeeper. "Are you Junior?"

"I might be." He allowed. "Why?"

"The Blonde Brawler said you could help me." Junior quailed slightly.

"...What do you want to know?" He asked quietly.

"I'm looking for a guy named Ozymandias." Jaune said.

"'I am Ozymandias, King of Kings, look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.'" A voice said from behind. He whirled around and found himself face to face with a teenaged girl, who another stood behind. They were identical except in dress. It was the one further back who had spoken, though.

"What?!"

"It was a inscription found on a tablet on Draconis." She said.

"The Forsworn Continent?"

"Yes." She responded blandly. "That was the only remaining, intact information from a massive ruin twice as big across as Vale."

"What? Weren't there, like, books or anything?" He asked.

"Oh, there were. But when they opened them every page of every book was blank. No luck with the spines either."

Jaune had sudden chills. The power of a competent wielder's magic was enough that they could literally erase all written traces of a civilization's accomplishments?! At once?!

"If he hadn't been killed the other day, I'd suggest you try Tukson's, see if he knew anything more. The man knew way too much for his own good, it seems." The girl paused, then suddenly folded her arms, looking petulant. "You see, Junior! I can *too* be an information supplier!"

"Hmph." Grumbled the big man, rolling his eyes.

"Anyway, your next best bet would be the boy he hired to watch the shop weekends, what was it….Topaz? Yeah, Topaz." Her face scrunches up in thought. "He lives about 5 blocks south and 1 east of Tukson's Book Trade."

"Not bad, kid. Maybe I will let you handle some of the information side of things." Junior mused with a grin.

"Thanks, really." Jaune said to the twin who had spoken to him, who smiled and waved him off lightly.

When he was gone, the three of them turned to each other with a smile.

"Whew, we got rid of him without anything being trashed. Two times out of three isn't bad, right?" Junior asked casually.

"Boss, one of these days you're going to have to instate some kind of 'no-blondes-allowed' policy.."

"Don't be ridiculous, some of my best customers are blonde!" Junior protested, "And besides," He added, "It wouldn't keep her out anyway."

* * *

On his way away from Junior's bar, he was accosted by a pink-and-white haired girl with a parasol and two members of the White Fang. Well, 'accosted' isn't the right word. 

He had walking down the street and had seen the girl casually twirling her parasol end over end; but had failed to notice the two burly Faunus hiding in the shadows. When he had been passing her by, she had caught the parasol by the tip, then without warning had lashed out with the handle to hook his leg, yanking hard. He tumbled head over heels, landing on his back as she sauntered closer. She planted one foot on his chest, eyes glinting with curiosity as she lifted the gauntleted hand to examine it.

Jaune unclenched his fist as she did, thinking fast. "Akla Mox Fandou." He whispered. The girl gave him a confused expression as she catches a bit of the whisper, but her confusion morphed into pain and dismay as a blast of fire enveloped her face, and she let go, recoiling backwards, parasol forgotten for the moment on the ground. He scrambled to his feet, yanking out his recently sharpened(with most of the rust scraped off by the process) sword and shifting the shield onto his arm.

One of the Fangs leapt out, holding a heavy club. Jaune lifted the shield to block the Faunus' first attack, then thrust his weight upward to force the Fang to stumble back a little. He withdrew the shield and poked the sword at the Fang-a little feebly, truth be told. Nevertheless, the Fang couldn't dodge quickly enough and a shallow line of red soon blossomed on his shirt. His friend emerged from his concealment with a cry of outrage, lifting a assault rifle. Jaune lifted his shield into position and waited out the clip, wincing at the five bullets that glanced off his more exposed sides. Nonetheless, they were far from enough to break his Aura, and as he heard the Fang curse and begin to reload, he leapt out, bringing his blade to bear. The Faunus looked up from his fumbling with the rifle just in time to see the blade flash towards his throat and lodge itself into his spine.

Jaune pulled back, and pulled again. It seemed it was his turn to curse-the blade had become stuck in the thug's neck, he couldn't pull it out!

He abandoned the sword, glancing to the other thug just in time to catch a blow from his club to the temple. He staggered back, lifting his shield just in time to catch the second blow on the edge. He glanced over to the parasol to see it missing. He heard a footstep behind him and without thinking, he lifted the shield over his head to catch the bladed parasol's descent. He quickly extends the shielded hand, which happens to bear the gauntlet, and intones once more, "Akla Mox Fandou!"

The girl with the parasol was merely glanced by the blast as she quickly brought her parasol into position to block most of it.

"You can skip Akla and Mox, you know, they just make it stronger." Whispered Steve. Oh.

He whirled to face the clubman, who looked wary but let out a roar as he lashed out at Jaune with his weapon. He caught the clumsy attack on his shield before extending his hand.

"Fandou. Fandou. Fandou."

The three rapid flame strikes burned into the clubber's body with deadly effectiveness, and he screamed in agony, falling to the ground.

And then it was just Jaune and the mysterious girl, who looked more intrigued than concerned by the fate of her erstwhile companions. She raised a eyebrow for a moment, shrugged, and then casually hopped up onto a fire escape, and from there up to the roof.

Jaune was a little flabbergasted, but then he shrugged and went over to the guy whose neck had his sword hostage. In the end, he had to place his foot on the guy's back and used it to *heave* at his sword, which finally came loose.

"...Hey, Steve, what's all this blue glowy stuff I see near these dead guys?" he asked in a somewhat too-calm voice.

"...Wait, you people don't even know about-"

"HUUUURK" Jaune interrupted intelligibly.

"...You've never killed someone before, have you?"

"S-shut, URK, up!" He said between what were definitely not bouts of him vomiting.

* * *

A/N:please leave commentary, criticism, anything, really. I don't mind, and besides which, if you liked this, leaving a post ensures that other people will see this. Probably.


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